INTAKT RECORDS – REVIEWS

THE CHOIR INVISIBLE
TOWN OF TWO FACES

Intakt CD 417 / 2023

Cover Web:THE CHOIR INVISIBLE. TOWN OF TWO FACES. Intakt CD 417

 

 

The Choir Invisible emerges as a newfangled, harmony-less trio hailing from Brooklyn, comprising German-born saxophonist Charlotte Greve, bassist Chris Tordini, and drummer Vinnie Sperrazza. Infusing nuanced rhythmic detail, to-the-point melodies, and a seamless fusion of jazz and rock elements, the trio strikes a harmonic balance and stylistic coherence in their quietly moving sophomore release, Town of Two Faces.

Filipe Freitas, Jazz Trail, February 15 2024 (EN)


Infused with an inventive and organic zest, Town of Two Faces swings into the spotlight under the deft ensemble of Charlotte Greve on alto saxophone or voice, Vinnie Sperrazza on drums, Chris Tordini on acoustic bass. It is graced by a cameo from Fay Victor, a voice which paints jazz in bold uncharted colors, with her knack for reimagining the vocal weave in the jazz tapestry with her deep dive into a memorably melodic blues-and gospel-shaded piece, entitled 'In Heaven.'

Glenn Astarita, All About Jazz, March 04 2024 (EN)


The elegant second album from the Brooklyn based trio of alto saxophonist Charlotte Greve, drummer Vinnie Sperrazza and bassist Chris Tordini features compositions by all three musicians, plus a fine cover of David Lynch and Peter Ivers's 'In Heaven' with guest vocalist Fay Victor relishing its blues inflections.

Stewart Smith, The Wire Magazine UK, April 2024 (EN)


Charlotte Greve, Vinnie Sperrazza, Chris Tordini -The Choir Invisible: Town of Two Faces (Intakt)

Recommended New Releases, The New York City Jazz Record, February 2024 USA (EN)


« The Choir Invisible », en souvenir d’un sketch des Monty Phyton, celui du gars de mauvaise foi qui ne veut pas admettre que le perroquet qu’il a vendu à son client est bien mort. Un client qui clame l’évidence : « Il a tiré sa révérence, il a quitté son enveloppe mortelle, il a couru le long du rideau pour rejoindre « le cœur invisible » ! ».

Yves Tassin, Jazz Mania, March 06 2024 (FR)


Town of Two Faces reveals itself methodically, patiently, and with a lyricism that takes its time. The trio of alto saxophonist Charlotte Greve, drummer Vinnie Sperrazza, and acoustic bassist Chris Tordini interact sometimes as a unified force, other times as individual players with eyes on some meeting point on the distant horizon. The former conveys a sense of prowling melodies while the latter is not unlike a melody playfully chasing its own tail. Greve contributes vocals on the final track, and I wouldn’t say no to more of that on future recordings.

Dave Sumner, Daily Bandcamp, March 11 2024 (EN)


The elegant second album from the Brooklyn based trio of alto saxophonist Charlotte Greve, drummer Vinnie Sperrazza and bassist Chris Tordini features compositions by all three musicians, plus a fine cover of David Lynch and Peter Ivers's 'In Heaven' with guest vocalist Fay Victor relishing its blues inflections.

The Wire Magazine, UK, April 2024 (EN)


Die tägliche Aufgabe, der eigenen Existenz Sinn zu geben, bevor man sich „The Choir In­visible“ anschließt, war das zentrale Thema beim Debut des Brooklyner Trios der Altsaxo­phonistin Charlotte Greve, des Drummers Vinnie Sperrazza und des Kontrabassisten Chris Tordini, das nun bei Town of Two Faces (Intakt CD 417) mit dem Zitat von George Eliot THE CHOIR INVISIBLE heißt.

Rigobert Dittmann, Bad Alchemy Newsletter, March 2024 (DE)


Town of Two Faces reveals itself methodically, patiently, and with a lyricism that takes its time. The trio of alto saxophonist Charlotte Greve, drummer Vinnie Sperrazza, and acoustic bassist Chris Tordini interact sometimes as a unified force, other times as individual players with eyes on some meeting point on the distant horizon. The former conveys a sense of prowling melodies while the latter is not unlike a melody playfully chasing its own tail. Greve contributes vocals on the final track, and I wouldn’t say no to more of that on future recordings.

Dave Sumner, Bandcamp Daily, March 11 2024 (EN)


I still have vivid memories of how immediately the voice of Josephine Foster captivated me the first time I heard it 21 years ago, via the four-song debut of Chicago’s short-lived Children’s Hour. At the time the unfortunately named freak-folk scene was ascendant, but apart from Spires That in the Sunset Rise, which had formed in downstate Decatur around the same time, there wasn’t too much of that stuff emanating from the city. The Children's Hour hewed closer to indie rock than weirdo folk, but it was Foster’s voice—evoking the mannered purity of British singers like Shirley Collins and Anne Briggs—that instantly stood out, transcending the nominally conventional tunes she and Andy Bar were creating. The group was signed to the indie pop label Minty Fresh, which pushed them within alt-rock circles. In fact, the group’s first exposure arrived through an opening slot on a tour by Zwan, the forgettable rock band Billy Corgan formed after the dissolution of his execrable Smashing Pumpkins. The lineup inexplicably included Slint co-founder David Pajo as a member and he became one of Children’s Hours biggest advocates.

Peter Margasak, Nowhere Street, April 29 2024 (EN)


Dass sich hinter The Choir Invisible kein Chor, sondern die deutsche Saxofonistin Charlotte Greve, der amerikanische Schlagzeuger Vinnie Sperrazza und sein Landsmann Chris Tor-dini am Bass verbergen, dürfte mittlerweile bekannt sein, denn Town of Two Faces ist bereits das zweite Album des Trios.

Mirela Onel, Jazzthetik Magazine, 05 2024 (DE)


For its second outing, Town of Two Faces, The Choir Invisible-the simpatico threesome of German-transplant Charlotte Greve (alto), Chris Tordini (bass) and Vinnie Sperrazza (drums) - continues in the vein established by its winning eponymous debut. In the liner notes, Tordini characterizes the band's sweet spot as a kind of quiet intensity, and that description is amply met by the ten cuts which make up this 2022 studio session. The shared writing credits signal the predominant communal ethos: three from the pen of each of the principals, alongside one cover. This diverse authorship, an air of wistful introspection, prevails throughout a date that privileges the pastel hues. Yet this coloration does serve to make even the slightest hint of primary color (e.g. a multiphonic flourish here or an assertive drumroll there) assume greater significance. An understated complexity pervades the set, as the carefully-crafted arrangements translate into a wealth of activity happening below the surface. Although Greve's elegant silky alto provides the lead voice, Tordini's muscular counterpoint at the intersection of melody and rhythm and Sperrazza's exquisite shading and tuneful beats immeasurably enhance the overall impression.

John Sharpe, The New York City Jazz Record, USA, May 2024 (EN)


 

 

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